We need to have a heart of compassion for those in need. Let us show compassion this week to for those in need at school, work, neighborhood, church or community.

Mark 1:20-22

• Jesus heals the man with leprosy.
• Leprosy considered the most dreaded disease. Certain types of leprosy would lead to a loss of fingers, toes, hand, foot and more. Considered contagious, the leper was quarantined, banished to a leper colony.
• He was infected by a condition he did not seek, rejected by those he knew, avoided by people he did not know, condemned to a future he could not bear.

1. Jesus’ Heart was Filled with Compassion

• Compassion; “Moved with pity as in warm indignation”
• Jesus detested the effects of leprosy. He saw how much leprosy was hurting this man; physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially.
• He healed the man because he was moved with outraged of the infliction.

2. His Compassion Led to Action

• Compassion is Passion that leads to action.
• To simply feel bad for someone is not Christ-like compassion.
• Jesus was willing – Christ-like passion leads to a willingness.
• We must not focus so much on finding out whose fault or who is responsible.
• Like the disciples with the blind man; who sinned, this man or his father?
• Jesus wants us to do something.
• Like the leper who had an infectous disease eating away at his body, there are people with various challenges; sin, loneliness, rejection, discontentment, fear, enslaved to the power of sin, suffering & more that is eating away at their life and robbing them of being whole. We must introduce them to Jesus.

1. His Compassion Looked Beyond the Surface (Matthew 9:35-38)

• He saw men as harrassed and helpless
• He saw men as sheep without shepherd; people who needed a shepherd to guide them and show them how to avoid pitfalls.
• Jesus looked at the crowd and saw a field ripe for harvest

4. His Compassion continue in difficult circumstances (Matthew 14:13-14)

• John the Baptist was beheaded (cousin of Jesus)
• Jesus heard the news, withdrew to a solitary place; sought solitude
• He saw the crowds and had compassion and healed them
• He was still able to continue doing what he came to do.

5. His Compassion had No Restrictions

• He showed compassion to those who were ignored, rejected and those people took no interest in.
• He showed compassion to the dishonest tax collector, wealthy, poor, hungry
• Jesus helped all kinds of people: women, beggars, those with evil spirits, upper class, rulers, religious, , farmers, prostitutes and more.
• Jesus helped people of all ages & backgrounds (Jew or Gentile).
• He helped those who came with faith and others without faith.
• He helped people in all kinds of places and all kinds of ways.
• His compassion led Him to raise the dead, cast our demons, help those in danger, suffering, restoring health, feeding the hungry, calming the storm, and more.

We need to have a heart of compassion for those in need. Let us show compassion this week to for those in need at school, work, neighborhood, church or community.